Cable wars are common in metros but Belgaum is now no different to this either. After four years of monopoly of cable distribution of Rdihi Vision one more cable network is trying to eat the market share, namely Vardaraj Cable network which has MOU with Siti Cable Bangalore.
Vardarj Cable is now available for only Rs.60 per month in which one can watch 60 channels and if you want to watch more than 200 channels one needs to buy a set top box and his monthly subscription will be Rs. 175.
On the other hand Ridhi Vision with its monopoly and monopolistic pricing charges anything between Rs.200 in city areas to Rs.300 in up market bungalow areas.
Ridhi Vision says that it has a subscription base of 50 thousand subscribers and Vardaraj has been able to get into 5000 cable homes and aims to get into 30 thousand in six months.
This price war will definitely be favorable for the consumer.
It is notable fact that four years ago Feroz Sait(MLA) had tired to open a cable network in competition to Ridhi Vision but later he had an agreement with Ridhi Vision. But this time Vardaraj is all set to give stiff competition. Vardraj also has a news bulletin in local languages.
Vardraj also plans to enter the rural market like Halga, Hindalga, Sulga, Machhe, Sambra, Muchandi where they would charge as low as Rs.70 a month. Ridhi Vision is already there in this market but they charge Rs.100.
In fact this cable war was visible in the recently held T20 championships in city. The Belgaum Premier League was shown live on Ridhi vision and Belgaum champions league was telecast live on Vardraj Cable network.
May what it be but healthy competition is always good for the consumers and the society. There have been instances of cable being cut and small incidents of beating up each others men but this all part of the game. For the people of Belgaum its another good reason to stay glued to the idiot box.
Source: Rajasthan Patrika

It is that time of the year, when one looks back at the 364 days gone by in the past year and makes promises to him/her and resolutions for the coming year.

Year-end celebrations are now common across the country with burning of old man and drinking. Earlier celebrations used to be indoor with family and friends but now DJ nights and hotels make use of this opportunity for a grand party with all sorts of themes etc.

This year there are many parties being organized in city, here is a list of few-

Hotel Eefa – Club Road– EVE 2010 party brew.

With a Live, band and DJ from Goa Tickets are available at Reception Counter Call: 08312498777/ 0 9449002900.There are special packages also made for a one night or two night stay at the hotel with pass to the party.

Saraswati Vachanalya Shahpur has organized a musical treat where artists from Belgaum will perform.

Dhamal De Dana Dan – Millennium Gardens -
This event is organized by hotel Adarsh Palace and will have DJ, competitions, dance and dine. Tickets are priced at Rs.500 for adults and Rs.300 for Children.

Hotel Shankam – Airport road – A party has been organized here as well.

Hind social Club at Hindwadi – Rock In – DJ, Dance floor

Shagun Gardens at Udyambag- A party is organized here as well with DJ

All the other hotels will be ready to serve you delicacies and a hotel owner told this blog that in the recent past the number of people opting for taking parcels home has grown 10 times. We take orders in advance and on the spot, they told. Other big sellers will the liquor shops that normally do a week’s turnover in a day.

At the end, have a wonderful and safe New Year’s party and Happy New Year 2010!

Azad, Radio, Rex, Kapeel are names synonymous with the old era of Belgaum. All these theatres which at one point were places of entertainment are now converted into complexes and shopping malls.

Ritz theatre in Konwal Galli, which was lying unused for a time will take a new breathe as the same will be converted into a modern hall for stage dramas. Announcing this Mr.Kiran Thakur said that, Belgaum needs a ultra modern hall where drams can be held and for the same Lokmanya society will go ahead with this and convert the Ritz theater into a ultra modern drama hall. 

The small wonders who have won hearts all over the country will perform live in Belgaum on 25 Ddecember 2009 at Subhash Maidan (Lele ground) from 6 pm to 9pm.

ZEE tv Lil Champs from both Hindi & Marathi will participate in this live concert being organized by Pragati Events in association with the Rotary club of Venugram Belgaum & Rotary club of Belgaum south. The funds collected will be utilized for the eradication of polio.

Tickets have been priced at Rs.200, Rs.500 & Rs.1000.

This could be a life time opportunity to the see these little wonders perform live in Belgaum and at the same time you will also be helping the world to be polio free.

For passes and donations contact: D B Patil: 9448963874

It’s a night for Families, Bachelors & youngsters of all ages.

Dj Allwyn will make your feet dance to the tunes of Bollywood tunes both new and old at the Jade Hall at Hotel Eefa, Club road.

Venue: Eefa Hotel at Jade Hall from 7:30 – 11:00 pm on the 28th of November 2009.
Tel. : 0831 – 2498777

Laxmi Rai

It’s destination Mumbai for Lakshmi Rai. The Belgaum beauty will now try her luck in Bollywood.

After the likes of Asin and Trisha the beauty from Belgaum is now getting ready to pack her bags and try her luck in Hindi films. She is mostly playing the lead heroine against Himesh Reshamiya in his new movie and she is working hard at the gym these days, because the Bollywood bosses want her to lose nine kilos for the part.

Lakshmi Rai said, she is playing the heroine in a Hindi movie that would begin early next year.

She also dismissed media reports that often link her with co-artistes, cricketers and much recently with her physical trainer, she said she has better things than these to do.

Laxmi Rai/Raibagi is from Belgaum and was the Miss Belgaum for 2 years. The 28 year old is a heart throb of the masses and she has reached the peak of a carrier in just 4 years after her debut in Karka Kasadara (2005).

This very blog had showcased her as a Star of Belgaum way back on 06 May 2008, see it here.

The mega show depicting the life of Sri Krishna is all getting ready and here is the making of the event. A huge stage is being built now on CPEd ground. The event is organized by Raj Media group and Goa-based Shri Vijayadurga Saunskrutik Mandal.

Mega stage in the making

About 103 local artists will get a chance to act in the play and the screening for the same began from today.

The ticket sale has begun and the show will be from 20^th November to 25^th November. Daily 7000 spectators can witness this extravagance show. The initial response for the tickets ahs been good and also very good response has come in from rural areas.

This is how the stage will look

The tickets have been priced from Rs.150 to 500 and are available at various locations.

A mega drama in Marathi has been organized by Goa-based Shri Vijayadurga Saunskrutik Mandal named “Sambhavami Yuge Yuge”.

This is a mega show involving 250 artistes and produced at a cost of Rs. 1.5 crore, with a recurring cost of Rs. 12 lakh for a single show, will be staged for six days at the expansive C.P. Ed. grounds on Club Road, from November 20 to 25.

Seating for 7000 people will be arranged. And the tickets are priced Rs. 500, Rs. 300, Rs. 200 and Rs. 150 (gallery).

The drama which depicts the life of Lord Krishna will have pre recorded voice over and is on similar lines of ‘Janta Raja’ which is produced by Babasaheb Purandare.

The play portrays important events in the life of Lord Krishna — his birth, Putana vadha, Kansa vadha, Dwaraka nirman, Rukmini harana, Bhoumasura vadha (Deepavali), Draupadi vastraharana, Mahabharat (war) and the Gitopadesha.

Dilip Desai will direct the play. A huge stage with a six-storey structure consisting of revolving, moving, lifting and dangling stages constructed using state-of-the-art technical inputs of sound, light and laser. In addition to the artistes, there will be 80 dancers. Elephants, horses, camels and chariots will be mounted on stage to give a realistic feel.

The venue for event Festino has now been changed to Millennium Gardens timing same 6 pm onwards and same date 10^th October.

The three lucky winners of the Festino contest:

Hitesh – hitesh.d@hotmail.com
Vijay Dalvi – dalvi_vijay@rediffmail.com
Shantanu Kutre – shantanu.kutre@gmail.com

Winners kindly contact Vinod Chavan (3i Global) on 9739177177.

Winners will need to contact Vinod by 9^th evening for the free passes and don’t forget your secret code you entered, it would be required to get your winning pass.

So enjoy!!!

Versatile actor Milind Gunaji also has a passion for nature and exploring tourist locales and has authored six books in Marathi and one in English. He also has a Belgaum connection-

His father Gunaji hails from Tilakwadi in Belgaum while his mother is from Goa.

Milind is now interested in promoting tourist spots in Belgaum district. He used to travel to Mumbai from Goa via Belgaum and his father would take them to Tilakwadi. Milind is serving as an ambassador for forests and wildlife for the Maharashtra government and on the committee of Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation, and would like to promote tourism in Karnataka, he said.

He is fascinated by the beaches of Uttara Kannada. As he is from Belgaum, he would like to do his bit for Belgaum. Some of his friends in Karnataka are helping him get in touch with the Karnataka government to enquire on the future course of action of taking Belgaum as a tourist destination.

Source: TOI

 ’THE REACH a Belgaum based local band will play for Belgaumites a rock show that will be held at Millennium Gardens on the 16th of august from 6 p.m. onwards.

 The band have been playing shows or the past two years now in places like the Millennium Gardens, GIT, Bhartesh college of business, Jain college, RLS, cafe coffee day and so on. 

On this occasion they are organizing a rock show themselves. The event has been named as ‘Deja vu’. 

For passes contact- Bhagyesh 9742020821.

 About the Band:

 Devina is a vocalist. Ecstatic, sweet n pampered voice of the reach is Devina best described as a bundle of joy n fun un houses when little devil sings in her style. The freshness n energy of her classically trained voice renders a very earthy n feel good factor to the songs she sings, though from the classical background she knows exactly how to rock n roll.

 Prateek – vocalist

Has a voice that goes high up n reaches the heavens. The pitch he sings on is extraordinary n way too high for most of the normal people who may try singing. His very radical n loud persona just makes the band a lot stronger.

Vardhaman- pianist

Seamlessly lost in the sounds of the piano emerges this very calm n cool pianist. His zeal n passion for music is truly amazing. An immensely matured musician that he is makes him a prized asset to the band.

  Nandan – guitarist

He can go on strumming his guitar 24/7. He comes up with very unique n catchy tunes every now n then. just loves composing new stuff n trying things never tried before.

 Andy –  drummer

The youngest member of the band is one hell of a person. He is Amazing, appealing, enthralling n electrifying. this drummer is a magician on drums. His beats, rolls n impeccable timing are awe inspiring. His contribution to the band’s success is enormous. His understanding of the entire idea of drumming is out of this world n is his strength as a drummer. A powerful force is liberated when this boy wonder works his way with his drums.

 Brian- lead guitarist/composer

The mastermind behind everything the band does. The lead guitarist is also a proficient pianist, vocalist, drummer, composer n song writer. He has a very different interpretation of the guitar n is very original n creative in everything he does. Brian is the backbone of the band. His mighty heart makes the band very strong n brave.

 Vinayak – lead vocalist/song writer

He is one of the coolest guys. He is extremely friendly, understanding and the best of all is also a guitarist.

 Bhagyesh – band manager

He manages everything shows, recordings, parties, picnics, everything. He is the caretaker n a very firm support on all the endeavors’ the band takes..

 Hitesh- sound n lights engineer

The technical aspect of performing live or recording in a room is all single handedly handled by him.